


The Kittie Bomb

by angrytitanboy



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Adorable, Aww, Cuties, F/M, Fluff, Fluffy, Hugs, Humans, Humanstuck, Kisses, Kittie Bomb, NYC, New York City, Restaurant Owner Meulin, awww, awwwwww, barfight, homeless Kurloz, restaurant AU, so damn cute
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-21
Updated: 2016-01-21
Packaged: 2018-05-15 10:03:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,206
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5781850
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angrytitanboy/pseuds/angrytitanboy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In New York City, there's a restaurant just south of Times Square. The Kittie Bomb. </p><p>Meulin's place. </p><p>Life is normal, for the most part. Just a twenty something cat lover trying to make ends meet. Her life is going great. She can finally afford Heath care. And with working so hard she can hardly think about Kankri or 'that day' or her mother's death.</p><p>Until Kurloz shows up.</p><p>Nicknamed Kitty by her cousin, Nepeta, quiet Kitty shows up one day be sits at the bar in the exact same position all day. One thing leads to another and suddenly lovestruck Meulin takes the homeless Kurloz under her wing, offering food, a job, and a temporary home. All is good and well.</p><p>But with their pasts nipping at their heels, the two need to learn to talk, to open up to one another, because even if talking doesn't make your problems go away, it makes you feel better.</p><p>And who wouldn't want to feel better?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

I scrubbed the bar with my wet rag vigorously as I usually did, a smile on my lips mindlessly. I went along with my chores at five in the morning, cleaning up after last night's antics. I skittered about through my respectable restaurant-bar, straightening kitty pictures on the walls and sweeping up discarded gum wrappers and pretzel crackers that had fallen from the fingers of their owner. The Kittie Bomb was like a six year old child in the morning, and I was it's mother getting it ready for school. I washed it's face and brushed it's teeth, waking it up with lights and setting the bar with toys. I gave it plenty of good-morning kisses and hugs, like my own baby girl. 

I opened the Kitty Bomb when I was nineteen, and after three years of struggling to make ends meet it had finally become a recognized restaurant, and I could afford health care.

I scrubbed the bar that morning like I always did, but that particular cold Tuesday morning, I didn't notice the pair of folded hands resting on the bar until I ran into them with my rag. I followed the hands up to their thin wrists, following their long forearms hidden under a black and white hoodie, and finally up to meet a dull pair of gray eyes staring down at me. I jumped in shock, a yelp escaping mouth as I curled up my hands. My panic only lasted a second when I realized that it was just a customer, a customer who came too early. A customer nonetheless. He was unsettlingly tall, slender and carried a wild make of pitch black hair on his head. His lips were pursed, and that was the way they stayed. His gray eyes widened at my reaction, and like a puppy dog his head cocked. I smiled.

"Mi-yuu! Haha!" I meowed at myself, wiping imaginary sweat from my brow. "Sorry about that. We don't open fur a while, but it's okay, you can stay. Can I get you anything? A coffee?"

He didn't answer with words. He only smiled at me, his head slowly shaking a decline. I giggled. 

"Okey-dokie, mister, just let me know. We do serve breakfast here- what about some eggs or something?" I offered. 

Again, he politely declined. I gave him a signature smile and went about my business as if he wasn't even there. He sat in the exact same position for an hour as I went about in the kitchen, firing up the grills and flipping the open sign. He sat as though in a trance, his eyes sunken deep into his skull and his skin a vampire pale white. He sat in absolute silence. I didn't really mind him.

At seven o'clock sharp, my sweet little cousin reported for duty.

"Her royal majesty, Nepeta Lejion, the first, the last and only sleepily pushes through the door and waves good-meowrning to her wonderful cousin!" She yawned, her hand waving at her side. I waved back as her eyes caught sight of the mysterious silent man. "Meu-Meu?" She asked me.

"It's okay, Nep, thank you." I told her. "Mister, if you need something, you can ask Nepeta, too, okay?" He nodded with a solemn smile, then turning to my shy relative with an outstretched hand. A bandaged hand. She happily shook his hand, a smile on her face. 

"My name's Nepeta, what's yours?" She greeted him. He didn't answer. He smiled shyly and pinched two fingers together, dragging them across his lips. "Oh, I get it!" She laughed. "You need a notepad or somethin? You can have my order pad."

He raised a hand, shaking his head.

"Is it okay if I call you Kitty?" She asked. He gave her a strange look and shrugged. "Meow!" She giggled. "Alrighty, kitty, I gotta go get started."

Shortly after her arrival in walked the rest of my employees, each one of them receiving an explanation for his silence by Nepeta, who happily referred to him as Kitty. He gave everyone a silent smile. I went about my day's work, making breakfasts for the hungry people of Manhattan, followed by lunches, followed by bartending to the lonely and bored men and women who found their way to my establishment. It wasn't until I was scrubbing the bar again that I noticed Kitty was still there. He hadn't moved a damned inch all day. I gave him a wide-eyed stare. "You've sat here all day?" I asked. He nodded. "Aren't you hungry? Thirsty?" I asked. He shook his head. "Is there something wrong?" He shook his head. "Then why are you here?" He looked a bit taken aback, as if he hadn't expected such a question. I wouldn't have asked it if I could have guessed it myself. He hadn't spoken or gotten up all day. I hadn't even noticed him walk in that morning- he just appeared. So I was left in mystery. We were staring into each other's eyes for the longest time. Just as his mouth opened and my eyes widened as big as dinner plates, I was called from two seats over on the bar.

"'Scuse me, ma'am, can I get a Blue Moon?" A man asked, his tone gruff and salty.

"Coming right up!" I smiled brightly, moving swiftly to pour him a drink. Kitty closed his mouth and went back to sitting. I didn't address him again. 

 

"Hey there, doll." It was around ten o'clock. The bar was still swinging, men and women sitting around and drinking. Nepeta was bartending while I cleaned up the tables. Kitty sat in his exact same place, quiet as ever. Creeping up behind me, slimy as a snake, his tongue slicked with alcohol, was a man I hadn't served before. He was tall-ish, but not looming, and he had this drunken look in his eyes that told me his intentions were anything but business. He slunk up to me, his hands in his jean pockets, his breath reeking of alcohol and loneliness. 

"Hi there, sir, how can I help you?" I answered him as brightly as I could. 

"Anyone ever told you you look downright sexy in them there jeans?" He gestured to my skinny jeans hugging my thick thighs inwards. "I mean, I like my ladies a little chunky, if you know what I mean."

"Sorry, I'm not interested." I said robotically, quickly turning away and beginning to scrub the table again.

"Aw, come on now." He grabbed at my shoulder, pulling me back up. "Don't be like that, come on." As I stood up to assert him again his hand groped my breast.

"Please don't touch me." I said shakily, pulling away and covering my chest with my folded arms. He wasn't even talking now- he just mumbled something and continued to attempt to grope at me. I froze up, afraid, as one hand rested on my waist, and two fingers pinched my ass. "Stop it, I don't want you touching me, please..." I murmured, trying desperately to push him off of me. Suddenly, there was a looming figure over us both- Kitty. His hands rested calmly in his pocket, staring the man down. 

"What do you want?" He groaned.

Kitty frowned, his arms folding across his chest. The gross man let go of me. I slipped away, hurrying for the assistance of my cousin or my other employees. The man and Kitty glared at each other. "Well, tough guy? What's your deal with that there broad? You her mate or somethin'?" Kitty didn't answer, but at this point I didn't expect him to do. He continued his menacing glare, making hand movements and shaking his head. "You some kinda retard?" He hissed, stepping up to Kitty, who let his hands rest at his sides. "Fucker." He scoffed. "Fuck you both. You and that whore." He barely even began walking away before Kitty sprung, furiously kicking his legs out from under him, sending the slimy man thudding to the floor. He didn't stay down long. He leapt up, a fist swinging straight at Kitty's jaw. Kitty caught it easily, snatching the man by his greasy hair and literally bashing his face in with his own fist. He kneed the man to the groin, sending him down. He swung his leg back for another blow. 

"Kitty, stop it! Let it go!" Nepeta cried. Kitty looked over, his leg coming back down gently to the floor. He began slowly walking back to the seat he kept as if it never happened, but he didn't get far before the man staggered back up, a knife gleaming in his pocket. He raised the knife up high and brought it down hard. I screamed as the man stabbed Kitty in the thigh. His eyes widened, but he didn't cry out in pain. He turned around faster than you could blank and began pummeling the man into the table behind him. He furiously rained blow after blow on the man's face. Blood practically dripped from kitty's mouth. 

"Kitty!" I shouted, running over and trying to pull him off. "Stop it, please! You'll hurt him!" I managed to pull him off, the man gasping for air. His face looked unrecognizable. "Jesus." I gasped, covering my mouth. "Jesus God. Kitty, you need a hospital, please, I'll call an ambulance." I pulled out my phone, but kitty snatched my wrist. He shook his head violently. "Kitty-"

"Kurloz." He corrected me, his voice deep and rough. I stared at him.

"K-Kurloz." I repeated. "You need a hospital."

He shook his head, turning his pockets inside out. I nodded understandingly. 

"You need to go home, then."

He shook his head again, pointing at the man, who had passed out. "Right, right." I panted. "I'll wake him up." I shook the man awake. "Sir, you need to leave my bar, please." I told him. He rolled his eyes, obeying me and beginning to stagger off. Nepeta had successfully distracted the rest of the bar and no one was paying any attention. "Kurloz," I said. "Do you have a home?"

He shook his head.

"You're going to bleed out." I sighed, turning to Nepeta. "Nep, I promise I'll pay you extra for this, but I need you to take over for me and clean up the mess over here. I'm going home." She gave me an understanding nod and went about her business. I turned to Kurloz. "I'm going to take you to my home to fix your leg, okay?" I asked. He nodded, wincing at the pain in his leg. 

 

"You didn't go to college." He stated upon entering my apartment. I glanced at him. 

"No, I didn't." I confirmed his statement, slipping off my petticoat and hanging it on my coatrack. I turned around and looked at him limping behind me. "Can I take your- oh, wait, sorry. Mi-yuu!" My cheeks reddened as I laughed at myself. Dude didn't have a coat. He smiled at me knowingly. He limped in behind me, keeping behind me as we entered into my studio apartment. It wasn't big, and it wasn't too small- I had a nice bedroom space, a bathroom, and a little kitchen. That's all I needed. "Come sit on my bed, I'll go fetch some bandages." 

"I didn't go to college." He said out of the blue. "Dropped out."

"Oh?" I answered him, calling from the bathroom. "And why is that?"

"Parents died." He said quietly. I looked at him.

"I'm so sorry." I said. "That's horrible."

He nodded solemnly, fiddling with one of my many cat plushies. I looked at the particular cat he gently stroked. I smiled. Then my eyes caught sight of his leg. His blood hand soaked all the way down his leg and was pooling in his sneakers. "Take off your clothes, please." I told him. He gave me a look. I flushed. "Just keep compression on it, ok?" I nodded, standing up and slipping his jeans off and kicking them onto the concrete floor. He took off his shoes, too, and his bloody socks. Finding the medical supplies I hurried back to him, kneeling down as he sat on my bed, and I began examining the gash ripped in his upper thigh. It was very deep, but it was only a few inches long. Very treatable. I took my wipes and cleaned up the blood around the open wound. I uncapped the rubbing alcohol and poured a bit into my cloth. "Hold my hand." I told him, extending my free one. "This will hurt. I gave him my hand. His soft palm enveloped mine, his nimble fingers gently holding onto my wrist. I took a breath and wiped at the wound. He winced terribly, suddenly crushing my hand in his. He gritted his teeth and shut his eyes. "I know, I know." I purred. "It'll go away in a second. I covered it in gauze and wrapped that gauze in a big bandage wrapping all around his thigh. "Here." I stood up. "I'm going to go wash your clothes. Im sorry that I don't have any clothes in your size, though. In the meantime just hold tight, and I'll fix you something to eat."

 

"I'm Meulin, by the way." I said from the bathroom as I pulled on my pajama top. He didn't answer me, but this was normal, so I didn't repeat myself. "You don't have to tell me where you come from or anything, but I would like to know if you want to stay here a little while to get yourself back on your feet. You can earn a steady living working for me, and I can set you up with a bed here." I exited the bathroom. "So I guess I'm offering you a job, huh. Do you want a job?"

He looked at me with an expression of surprise. "Really?"

"Yes, silly!" I laughed. "Kitty kitty!"

"Why?"

"Because...well..." I blushed. "I guess I just want to thank you for taking care of that guy back at the Kittie Bomb. I...um...I have a hard time saying no sometimes. Is it okay if I don't tell you why?"

He nodded understandingly. I smiled gratefully. I didn't want to relive the day of my rape. 

"You can sleep in my bed, for now." I said. "I can sleep on the couch, if you want. But on one condition." I narrowed my eyes playfully. He stared at me blankly. "I need a hug before I go to bed." He smiled as though he would laugh, but he didn't make a sound as he crossed the room to me. He swept me into his warm embrace, my head only reaching up to his chest. I pressed my face into his skinny body, his long arms wrapping around me lovingly. I held to his back, cuddling him close like I was taught as a kitten. He pulled away, looking down at me and smiling. I looked back up at him, stretching up to my tiptoes. I smiled. In seconds his mouth caressed mine and he sealed the space between us. I was taken aback for a second before I kissed him, feeling the warmth of this mysterious homeless person flowing through me.

This was going to be very interesting indeed.


	2. Chapter 2

I woke up the next day at five- as usual. In the mornings there was lots to be done- starting with getting myself out of bed. I yawned like a lion and stretched my wings, a big childish stance as the sun hadn't yet risen. I looked around the pitch black of my apartment and silenced the ring-a-ling-ting of my morning alarm. I slipped out my phone, which vibrated angrily against my side, and slid it to a silence. Remembering that I wasn't alone, I flipped on my flashlight and like a tiger I stalked out of the couch where I slept and tiptoed over to where Kurloz slept.

He was resting peacefully, his eyes gently closed, his lips parted slightly. He slipped in breath and let it out slow, like a bear his skinny body heaved. Watching him sleep I suddenly didn't feel so good anymore, the knot in my stomach tightening. I bit my lip and turned away. I really had no idea what I was getting myself into, letting a homeless man stay at my home, and like a fool I had let him kiss me. What had gotten into me? I sighed. Surely I had been alone too long. 

I thought about him every day- Kankri. The foreign poet who had skillfully taken my heart from me. I haven't felt a love like that since forever, since my mother's embrace. I was only nineteen when I met him, when I fell in love with him. When everything I ever had was taken away from me. 

But now was not the time to relive the past. I have a job to do.

Slipping on clothes in the dark, I went about my morning routine in silence for as long as I could before I simply had to turn the lights on. I crept close to Kurloz's bed, my hand reaching out to touch his face. Just as my fingertips made soft contact with his cheek, my hand was snatched in an unforgiving grip, and I locked in place. His eyes opened, their purple irises glaring daggers at me in the dark. It took only an instant for him to realize that it was only me, that I posed no threat, and in his shock my Kitty scrambled up, leaning up against the backboard. I panted, my heart racing. "Kitty?" I whispered, "are you okay?"

Looking askance, he nodded at me and pulled off my comforter. On the other edge of the bed he propped his elbows up on his knees and held his head in his hands. He was shaking violently. I hurried over and touched his bare back. His skin jumped at my touch but quickly relaxed. "Bad dream?" I asked him. He nodded shakily. I smiled. "I know how you feel. I'll go make you something to eat. Your clothes should be dry now, so you can put them on." He nodded gratefully, standing up to his full height- a towering six foot five- and in only his boxer shorts he strode calmly to my dryer. Not minding him, I began preparing a large omelet- he and I could share it.

I heard a noise come from my bathroom. The water was turning on and off franticly. In my confusion I left the omelet cooking and followed the noise. There was Kurloz, switching on and off the water as away of calling me. He waved to me with a wry smile, pointing at the faucet and then at his mouth. "You were calling me?" I guessed. He nodded, then pointing at the bottle of shampoo and the shower. "You...want to take a shower?" He shook his head and pointed at his hair. "You want to wash your hair." He tapped his nose and smiled. I giggled. "Of course, you can wash your hair anytime you like."

I left him alone to wash his hair like he wanted. He was very polite in his asking for things, and when he didn't want to say thank you aloud he would bow slightly and clasp his hands. He was very grateful in that respect. When the omelet was finished the water had stopped running and hadn't been for at least five minutes. I hurried to the closed door and knocked. "Kitty-Kitty?" I asked. "Breakfast is ready." I heard the faucet run on and off again. Hearing his signal I cracked open the door and peered inside. There was Kitty, of course, all dressed in his black sweatshirt and his underwear. He hadn't put on his jeans, though, and was tapping at his leg wound. It was exposed. "Your bandage came off." He nodded, holding the bloody thing. "I'll fix it- here." I had him sit down on the closed toilet as I retrieved a new bandage. 

"My kitten, you've played all day long, oh, my kitten, you've sang every happy song," I recited my mother's lullaby, gently wrapping his bare, wet leg. "My kitten, the sun has set this day, my kitten, it's time to cease your play, my kitten, please don't cry, listen to mama's lullaby." I continued with the childish lullaby, even after he had put on his clean pants and had followed me into the kitchen were our omelet was still hot. I sliced it in half and separated them onto two paper plates, handing him the bigger half. 

"Because you're so skinny." I teased sweetly. He smiled and bowed his head, taking his plastic fork and cutting a small piece off. I waited patiently as he brought it to his mouth and chewed. He looked up at me, swallowed and smiled in approval. I smiled back and took my place next to him at the counter.

"You're a beautiful singer." He told me after a long while. I was finishing up the last bit of my omelet when he said it. I looked over with a smile.

"Thank you." I said. "That was my mommy's lullaby." He nodded. I liked it when he did this- not answering to tough topics. He didn't pull or pry or...well, say anything, for that matter. He just made a few statements here and there and that was it for him.

"I was born here." He said. "In the city. On the subway."

"Wow, really?" I looked over. "That's cool!"

"Mom died during childbirth."

"I-I...I'm sorry, I-"

"Kidding." He smiled at me. I blushed. He laughed. "Mom died later. Where were you born?"

"Atlanta." I answered. "My mommy, she died later, too."

"Sorry." He told me.

"Yeah." I sighed. "Me too."

There was a long pause.

"Work." He said, looking at the clock in my kitchen.

"Work." I nodded, picking up my paper plate and his empty one and dumping it in the trash. "Ok, so, I usually walk to the Starbucks down the street and then hail a taxi through the Square. Is that okay with you?" He nodded. I smiled. "Great. Let's go, Kurloz."

 

"Sugary." He remarked upon tasting his coffee.

"Don't like it?"

"Like it." He said. "Sugary."

I smiled, my cheeks reddening. These days in New York City, the air was so cold you could see the steam from the subway billowing up in great clouds on the streets. The sidewalks of Times Square were packed, as always, but in these chilly few days of November they seemed more tightly packed together, like sardines in a tin container. Kitty didn't notice much, but I could tell that he was cold. I made a note that day- when we get out of work, we'll go to the department store and buy him some new clothes.

The Kittie Bomb was empty, no surprise, perfect for Kurloz to begin his training. "Can you cook?" I asked him. He nodded. "Good. Follow me." I led him by the hand back into the kitchens, where at each table there was a thick recipe book nailed to the table. "These are the recipe books. The orders go up here, and when you finish an order, make sure you put it out with the order tag. Then you can work on the next order tag. You don't have to talk to anyone, I promise. I'll let people know that you don't like talking."

And I did. Kitty washed his hands and began cleaning up his workspace from last night, and with each person that came in I introduced them to Kitty. "This is Kurloz." I smiled. Kurloz extended his hand politely. "He doesn't speak, so don't take it personally." Nepeta was very surprised at his presence.

"Kitty? Wow, you're a cooker now, huh?" She smiled brightly.

"My cousin." I told Kurloz. "Nepeta, this is Kurloz. He's our new cooker."

"Mi-yuu!" Nepeta cheered, both paws in the air. "This will certainly lighten the workload!"

Nepeta chattered away endlessly at Kurloz, who seemed very happy with her company. "My cousin MeuMeu is the best, I tell you! She's purrfect. When I was five me and her used to play together with our yarn balls in my auntie Felicia's backyard in Maryland. We were the best of friends. Of course, when auntie Felicia died, cousin Meulin was very sad...she came to stay with me and my brother Bennie! Of course, I called him Barkie." To all of her words, Kitty nodded and smiled, occasionally clapping his hands at her. He never made a sound from his mouth. I doubt Nepeta minded. She came up to me at around eleven that morning, just before the lunch rush.

"Meu, I'm gonna take my lunch break, okie?" Nepeta smiled, hanging onto the arm of her big boyfriend. His name was Equius, and even though I found him very serious and not at all playful, Nepeta absolutely loved him, and he loved her too. So I respected him a lot. 

"Of course!" I smiled. "May I get you anything before you go? I do owe you for last night."

"Nope! We're just gonna head to Abbie Allen's for lunch."

"Nep, can I see you before you go?" I pulled her aside. "How is Kitty?"

"He seems fine." Nepeta shrugged. "I think I meowed his ear off this morning, though. He'll probably want to get away from me."

"He's not having any trouble?"

"No, Meu!" She giggled. "Honestly, you're such a worrywart. Ever since Auntie Felicia- oh. Meulin, I'm sorry." She caught herself, her hand covering her mouth. 

"I-It's fine." I looked away. "Don't worry about it."

"I didn't mean to bring up your mom."

"It's okay, Nepeta, it's okay." I bit my lip.

"Mere." She hugged me. I didn't hug her back. It hurt a little to much to move. Mommy. "I'm gonna go now. Bye."

"Bye."

I sighed. I'd better check on Kitty.

"Kitty!" I smiled as brightly as I could. "How are you?" He smiled in response, his hands busy with a salad. "You're not having any trouble? Good, good. Let me know when you want to take your lunch break." 

"You're sad." He stated. I looked at him.

"How did you know?"

He tapped his nose. "Smelled it."

"I...don't know what you're talking about."

"You don't have to tell me why." He said. "You need a hug?"

"Not in the kitchen. Thanks. I can manage." I said. He nodded solemnly. 

"Your leg okay?"

"You're really sad."

"I'll take that as a yes." I turned away and left the kitchen. He slipped off his plastic gloves and followed me. "Why are you following me?" I asked him without looking. I exited out back, him wordlessly on my tail, until I was outside by the dumpster. I turned to him. "What? What is it?"

He opened his arms. I refused. He put his arms back down. 

"People tell you talking makes it better." He said.

"Yes." I said. "But you don't talk."

"I know." He said. "They lie. Talk, and your problems are still there."

"Talking can make you feel better though."

"Yes." He agreed.

"But you don't talk."

"No."

"Don't you want to feel better?"

"Don't you?"

There was a long pause.

"Dad killed my mom." He said, looking at the ground. "Killed my litter sister Mischa. Burned the house. Died." He looked up at me. "Mom and Mischa and Dad still dead. I don't get to go to college anymore. No home. I don't feel any better about it." He said.

"My mom was in a car crash." I said. "She...didn't make it. It was on my ninth birthday."

"She's still dead." He said. "How do you feel?"

I started to cry. He opened his arms for me and I ran into them willingly. He held me close, as close as my mother would when I was still alive. He brushed my thick brown hair with his fingers until I stopped crying and I smiled at him. "Better." I told him.

"Better." He repeated.

"Ready for work?" I asked. He nodded.


	3. Chapter 3

"Kitty," I yawned, scrubbing the bar again. "You wanna go get new clothes, or are you too tired?" His face told me the answers. His eyelids drooped down over his purple irises, his head bowed. He didn't make eye contact with me. It was one thing to sit in silence all day- it was another to cook and clean all day. This was my every day, so my body had gotten used to five hours of sleep every night, but his hadn't adjusted yet. He looked ready to drop right then and there. "Miaow, I hear you." I said sarcastically. "On Sundays I work half-days. We can go then." He nodded. His thumbs twiddled sleepily. I smiled wearily. "Alright then."

The bar had closed an hour ago. Everyone had gone home. It was my job, as owner, to count up all the money we had earned that day and to scrub the bar clean. With Kitty helping to clean the kitchen and the tables, we wouldn't have to come in so early to get it all done. Having him around just got better and better. My quiet helper. It was at around midnight. Most days I went home and flopped onto my bed, sleeping instantly, no dinner in my belly. I supposed that tonight wasn't the case, because Kitty needed to build back up his body mass. 

"Kitty, you worked enough. Go find some food. We'll go home then."

"What I said today." Kitty said suddenly. "Forget it."

"Hmm?"

"I didn't want you to hear it."

"I can't really unhear it, but I won't bring it up again, if that's what you mean." I said. He shook his head violently.

"No. Unhear it. Serious."

"Kitty, I can't."

"Please." He looked at me pleadingly. "No one was supposed to know, I messed up."

"Um...okay. I didn't ever hear it." I opened my hands with a confused look. He looked away. I sighed. I tried to open my mouth and tell him that it wasn't his fault, but I didn't want to hurt him. Instead I just started counting again. "Go and find something to eat."

 

I awoke that night to noises. I sat up in my bed, the pitch black of my apartment swallowing me whole. My ears twitched as I listened for the noises again. There- little squeaks and whimpers coming from my bed. The springs below my marred squeaked as he turned and twisted violently, snatching and grabbing at the covers around him. He was panting and gasping for air. Instinct kicked in and I carefully ride to my hind legs, creeping close to his bed. I whispered his name, my hand reaching out- "Kurloz..." My hand brushed over what felt like a shoulder and he let out a shriek, his body twisting upwards like a fish flipping wildly on the deck. I reached out and touched his chest. He was sweating like Horuss used to, when we were thirteen. His heart threatened to beat out of his chest. He was panting whimpering, gasping for air but receiving nothing. "Kurloz!" I whispered loudly, gently shaking him. He sucked in a huge breath and suddenly there were hands on my throat, two thumbs pressing my esophagus closed. I coughed and sputtered. I could hear him growling like a junkyard dog. 

"Get away from me, get away." He snarled, his sweaty hands shaking. I thrashed against his unforgiving grip. 

"Ki-Kitty, it-it's me! Meulin!" I wheezed. "Le- hack! Let me go!"

His grip softened. "Meulin?" 

I nodded. His hands dropped. I staggered back, tears flooding my eyes. I started to cry as I ran for the light switch. There was Kurloz- drenched in sweat, flattened up against the headboard, panting like a dog. I glared at him fiercely, tears in my eyes. Then I saw his tears, wet streaks down his cheeks and clouded purple eyes. He looked terrified. I crumbled, curling in on myself like a paper in the fire. I sobbed, horrified at the forceful memory that had been brought back. The day of my rape. The hands on my throat, the violence in his throat, his eyes, the heat of his breath on my skin. I shivered as I cried. I could feel Kurloz coming closer. His hand shakily touched my head. "Don't touch me!" I roared, scrambling up against the wall, helpless, powerless. He was crying. He stumbled back, his heart racing. I cried harder. He continued walking backwards until he reached my bed. 

"I'm sorry." He breathed. "I'm sorry." I could barely hear him over myself. "Meulin?" He raised his voice. "S-Stop crying, I...I'm sorry." I looked up at him with furious eyes. I sucked in deep breaths in an attempt to calm myself, but I couldn't tear my eyes away from him, and I couldn't stop the rivers of tears from flowing. He started towards me again.

"No, no, don't come near me!" I hissed. "Don't you d-dare!" But he didn't stop. He kept getting closer and closer until he knelt down and touched my shoulder. I bit him. He winced, but he didn't stop from wrapping his long arms around me and holding me close. I finally realized that his intentions were not to hurt me. He didn't want anything but to make me feel better. I cried into his chest, my arms holding him closer. He warmed me, protecting me, promising me never to hurt me. 

"I'm sorry." He whispered to me. I nodded, my chin resting on his shoulder. "Bad dream." He rocked me side to side, his hands brushing my hair all the way down to the small of my back. 

"I...I was seventeen." I whispered. "When...when I was raped." He looked me in my eyes. I looked down. "I don't want to think about it anymore." He nodded, hugging me again. "Please don't hurt me." I begged quietly.

He shook his head, pressing my head closer to his shoulder. I cried until I couldn't anymore. He held me until we both fell asleep with each other, holding close on the concrete floor. 

 

I was lightly shaken awake in the morning, soft, gentle hands on my side, rocking me back and forth until I opened my eyes. Kurloz looked down at me. I smiled. "Hi, Kitty." He pointed at my clock wordlessly. Work. I sat up straight, my hand slapping my forehead. Work! "Agh, you're right!" I cried, leaping up. "Shit, we're going to be late. Come on, Kitty, get on some clothes and we'll leave immediately."

It was snowing. An early snow for New York City. Usually we got our snow around the first frost of December. Outside on the dry steers flurries painted the gray sky, floating this way and that in the winter breeze. I was walking fast, faster than those around me, hurrying my short, chubby body through the streets. Kitty's long strides kept him at my side. He barely had to hurry to keep up with me. We passed by the Starbucks. I heard him mutter 'sugary.' and laugh. We turned two more corners and into the Square, the hundreds of advertisements blaring in my tired eyes. This city never fucking sleeps. Or shuts up. We reached the Kittie Bomb twenty minutes later than we should have, looking like a couple of train wrecks hand in hand. I hurriedly shoved Kitty into the kitchen to have him get going, Nepeta was already there.

"Somebody overslept!" She sang. "A bit of a cat-nap, eh?"

I couldn't help but smile at my cousin. She was more like a little sister to me.

 

The day went by faster than a blink, and before I knew it I was scrubbing the bar clean at midnight, my Kitty cleaning the grills. I yawned again, stretching my arms. "You almost done, Kitty-Kitty?" I called. He knocked on the counter three times as I response. I followed him into the kitchen on his call. He was waiting for me. He motioned for me to follow him.

He snatched a menu and pointed at a word in large print: Lunch.

"Lunch?" I asked. He nodded. He then pointed at a price on the menu: 3.30

"Lunch at 3:30?" I asked. He nodded. I smiled at him.

"That sounds wonderful." I said. He kissed my forehead. 

I really don't have any idea what I'm getting myself into with this homeless orphan mute guy. But it seems like a lot of fun.


	4. (Not a real chapter, just a notice)

So hey.

I really really loved this work when I started it and I recently just lost the drive for it.

And that's really all there is to say on the matter.

HOWEVER.

I'm not deleting this work just in case a CERTIAN user out there wants to write her own version of it (wonk wonk nudge nudge Angela) so if you decide to do please message me and I'd love to give it a read. Think of it as a writing prompt! 

Thank you again, everyone.

-definitely not row.


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